Container



net. 20, 1936.- T, H RT N E A 2,057,682

CONTAINER Original Filed May l8, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 0 5/ Oct. 20,1936.

G. T. HORTON E1. AL

CONTAINER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 Original Filed May 18, 1935 M 67g J Z/WJWOct. 20, 1936. HORTON r AL 2,057,682

CONTAINER Original Filed May 18, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 w 67a 2777 JJQ @ww Oct. 20, 1936. G. T. HORTON ET AL CONTAINER Original Filed May 18,1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 f ku Patented Oct. 20, 193

SATES 2,057,682 CONTAINER George T. Horton and Clayton L. Day, Chicago,Ill., a'ssignors to Chicago Bridge & Iron Company, Chicago, 111., acorporation of Illinois Original application May 18, 1935, Serial No.

22,276. Divided and his application October 12, 1935, Serial No. 44,775

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in containers and, moreespecially, a cylindrical container adapted for storing liquids orgases, of the type having a vertically movable piston, roof, or deck.Such roof may be buoyed up entirely or partially by the liquid or gasunder it and, consequently, may be referred to as a floating roof.

This application is a division of our co-pending application, Serial No.22,276, filed May 18, 1935.

A feature of our invention is improved means for sealing the spacebetween the periphery or edge of the roof and the cylindrical shell.

A feature of our invention is improved means for counterweighting thevertically movable roof.

Other features and advantages of our invention will appear more fully aswe proceed with our specification.

In that form of device embodying the features of our invention shown inthe accompanying drawings- Figure l is a view in side elevation; Fig. 2is a top plan view; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view; Fig. 4 is aview taken as. indicated by the line 4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is an enlargedfragmentary horizontal sectional view showing the elongated casingsforming a part of the seal; Fig. 6 is a view taken as indicated by theline 6 of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 4,showing a modification; and Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showingthe modification.

We shall first describe the sealing means. In general, this includes astrip of'flexible material on the outer edge of the roof forming aperipheral pocket. This material may resemble, for example, the materialfrequently used for brake shoe lining on motor cars. This material ispreferably as liquid-tight as possible and should be strong enough towithstand wear as far as possible as it rubs against the shell wall. Theinside of the shell wall should also be as smooth as possible, and tothis end, the edges of the sheets forming the cylindrical shell arepreferably butt welded.

Inside of the pocket, we provide one'or more elongated flexible casingssuitably filled, expanded or inflated by liquid or gas. We have hereshown two such casings filled with liquid, one above the other, toincrease the effectiveness of the seal as the roof passes unevennessesin its vertical movement. As here shown, each casing is made up ofsixteen sections with adjacent ends telescoped or overlapped, and eachcasing, as here shown, is circular in cross-section.

Inside of the pocket and outside of the casings, we preferably providefiuid under pressure, here shown as oil.

The pressure in thecasings may be, for example, from one to two poundsper square inch and the pressure outside of the casings and inside ofthe pocket, from one-quarter to one pound per square inch. A 4

The pressure in the casings and the pressure of the liquid outside ofthe casings and inside of the pocket serve to maintain the latteryieldingly distended and in contact with the shell to seal the spacebetween the roof and the shell.

As shown in the drawings, the cylindrical shell is indicated by I0 andprovided with a suitable bottom II and dome top I2. I3 indicates thefloating roof or piston, the same being, provided with an upstandingperipheral rim I4. Attached to the outside of the rim I4 is a verticalsheet I5 carrying the strip of flexible material I B on its outer sidewhich forms a peripheral pocket. Means, to be hereinafter described, isprovided for yieldingly distending this pocket into contact with theshell Ill.

Inside of the pocket I6 we provide two elongated flexible casings, oneabove the other. As here shown, each of these casings is made up ofsixteen sections I1, I1, with adjacent ends telescoped, as indicated byIl Each casing is suitably circular in cross section, but in normal useis somewhat flattened as the edge of the roof approaches the shell, asshown in Fig. 6.

Inside of the pocket I6 and outside of the casings I'l, I1 we have hereshown a relatively heavy oil or lubricant I8, maintained under apressure of from one-quarter to one pound per square inch. This oil issupplied through suitable pipes I9 from a lower tank 20 which is at thenecessary height to maintain the desired pressure.

The casings I1, I1, that is, all sections of said casings, are filledwith a relatively light oil 2| maintained at a pressure of from, forexample, one to two pounds per square inch. This oil is supplied throughsuitable pipes 22 from the upper tank 23, which is at the necessaryheight to maintain the oil under the desired pressure.

In Figs. '7 and 8, we have shown the elongated casings made up ofsections I I1, I ll, corresponding to the sections I'I, I1, except thatthe ends instead of being telescoped are slanted so that they overlap,asindicated by I IT.

We shall now describe the means for counterweighting the roof. Ingeneral, this includes a plurality of cables, preferably three or more,all attached to a single counterweight. With this construction,employing a single counterweight, tendency for the roof to tip or slantis lessened or eliminated. If one side rises more than the others, thecable or cables on that side become slack so that the counterweight doesnot pull on its vertical movement.

The counterweight may be as heavy as desired. The roof may'be fully orpartially counterweighted or counterbalanced. In storing gases, it ispreferably unbalanced to a sufficient extent to maintain the stored gasat the desired pressure.

The roof is counterbalanced by a; plurality of cables (here shown asfour) passing over sheaves 5| carried on the upper ends of verticalposts 52 mounted on the outside of the shell. Suitable holes areprovided in the dome roof I2 for the cables 50 to pass through.

Outside of the shell is provided a single counterweight in the shape ofa frame forming a ring surrounding the tank. This framework ring isindicated, in general,-by 53. The vertical members 52 form verticalguides or slides for the ring, the latter being provided at the top andbottom with flanged rollers 54, 54 operating on the slides. The rollersare separated enough vertically to give a long hearing so that thecounterweight ring 53 is always maintained in a horizontal position inits vertical movement.

While we have shown and described certain embodiments of our invention,it is to be understood-that it is capable of many modifications.Changes, therefore, in theconstruction and arrangement may be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asdisclosed in the appended claims, in which it is our intentiori to claimall novelty inherent in our invention as broadly as permissible, in viewof the prior art. What we claim as new, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is:

1. A container, including: a cylindrical shell; 'a vertically movableroof in the shell; means for sealing'the space between the edge of theroof and the shell; and means for at least partially counterweightingthe, roof, said means including a plurality of cables attached to theroof, passing over sheaves, and all attached to a single counterweightin the form of. a. ring surrounding the shell.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, with means for maintaining the ringin a horizontal position in its vertical movement.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, with means for maintaining the ringin a horizontal position in its vertical movement, said means includingvertical guides with vertically spaced guide-engaging members carried bythe ring.

V CLAYTON L. DAY.

GEORGE T. HORTON.

